1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing structure.
In more detail, the present invention relates to a sealing structure providing a waterproof construction of an electronic equipment and a connector.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In recent days, a high waterproof function is demanded, while a downsizing is advanced, for a waterproof connector which is used in an electronic equipment such as a cellular phone, an automotive wiring harness and the like.
In order to provide the waterproof function to the electronic equipment constructed of a plurality of spaces, it is necessary to secure airtightness in housings constructing the respective spaces, and electrically connect the spaces with each other by a flexible board or the like.
In this case, there have been proposed a method of providing terminals in wall surfaces of the housings comparting the respective spaces, and connecting the terminals with each other by a wiring member, and a method of putting the wiring member through the wall surfaces of the housings and filling gaps generated between the wiring member and the housings with an adhesive agent or the like.
However, the mode that the terminals are provided in the wall surfaces of the housings has a problem that the equipment is enlarged in size.
The method of filling the gaps generated between the wiring member and the housings with the adhesive agent or the like causes a problem that a dissembling work and a reassembling work become hard.
Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, there have been proposed such modes that seal members are integrally formed on a flexible wiring board (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2003-142836 and 2004-214927).
In a mode shown in FIG. 3, frame body shaped seal members 301 corresponding to shapes of respective housings (not shown) are integrally formed with a flexible wiring board 100.
The flexible wiring board 100 extends through the respective seal members 301, and electronic parts are mounted within regions surrounded by the respective seal members 301.
Further, in a mode shown in FIG. 4, bush shaped seal members 303 are integrally formed with a flexible wiring board 100.
The seal members 303 are installed to insertion holes provided in respective housings (not shown).
Then, connectors 304 provided at both ends of the flexible wiring board 100 are electrically connected to electric parts within the housings.
Further, in a mode shown in FIG. 5, a bush shaped seal member 303 and a frame body shaped seal member 301 are integrally formed with a flexible wiring board 100.
Further, all the flexible wiring boards 100 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are provided with the following structure.
A printed wiring layer (a circuit pattern) constructed of a copper foil is bonded and fixed to at least one surface of a base board made of an elastic material such as a polyimide, a polyamide, a polyester, a liquid crystal polymer or the like.
Next, a cover film made of the same material as the elastic material used in the base board or a cover coat made of a solder resist is formed on a front face of the printed wiring layer, for protecting the front face.
As a result, the printed wiring layer is structured such as to be sandwiched by the base board and the cover film or the cover coat.
However, while all the flexible wiring boards 100 mentioned above are effective in a mode in which various sensors are set within the respective frame bodies of the housings (not shown), high functionalization has advanced in a field of a mobile equipment in recent years, and thus there arises a demand to arrange the various sensors or the like outside the respective frame bodies of housings (not shown).
Specifically, there is a demand for a mode in which various sensors or the like are arranged in a hinge portion of a cellular phone.
In this case, a strategy for waterproofing the various sensors or the like arranged outside the respective frame bodies of the housings (not shown) individually by a treatment such as dipping, coating or the like has been considered, however, there occurs such a problem that waterproofing between the seal members 301, 303 and the waterproof layer made by the coating or the like is insufficient, and a lot of man power is necessary.